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Interaction between the light quality and flowering time pathways in Arabidopsis

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Adams, Sally, Allen, Trudie and Whitelam, Garry C.. (2009) Interaction between the light quality and flowering time pathways in Arabidopsis. Plant Journal, Vol.60 (No.2). pp. 257-267. ISSN 0960-7412

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-313X.2009.03962.x

Abstract

Flowering in Arabidopsis is accelerated by a reduced ratio of red light to far-red light (R/FR), which indicates the proximity of competitive vegetation. By exploiting the natural genetic variation in flowering time responses to low R/FR, we obtained further insight into the complex pathways that fine-tune the transition to flowering in Arabidopsis. The Bla-6 ecotype does not flower significantly earlier in response to low R/FR, but is still able to display other features of shade avoidance, suggesting branching of low R/FR signalling. Here we show that the muted flowering response of Bla-6 is due to high levels of the floral repressor FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC), conferred by a combination of functional FLC and FRIGIDA (FRI) alleles with a 'weak' FY allele. The Bla-6 FY allele encodes a protein with a corrupted WW binding domain, and we provide evidence that this locus plays a key role in the natural variation in light quality-induced flowering in Arabidopsis. In Bla-6, FLC blocks promotion to flowering by reduced R/FR by inhibiting expression of the floral integrator FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) in a dose-dependent manner. Reduction of FLC removes this obstruction, and Bla6 plants then exhibit strong induction of FT and flower early in response to a low R/FR signal. This paper illustrates the intricate interaction of environmental signals and genetic factors to regulate flowering in Arabidopsis.

Item Type:

Journal Article

Subjects:

S Agriculture > SB Plant culture

Divisions:

Faculty of Science > Life Sciences (2010- ) > Biological Sciences ( -2010)

Journal or Publication Title:

Plant Journal

Publisher:

Blackwell

ISSN:

0960-7412